Life Not Living
by Silence Shall Fall
Summary: Jareth saved Sarah, it was that simple, to her. But, to him, its started a whole chain reaction of events that he never expected. He can't let her go back, not without losing her forever. So, he must figure out a way to make her stay. ON HAITUS
1. Chapter 1: Saved at Midnight

**A/N: I think that the title will make more sense, as we get later into the story. I already have the third chapter written up, but I don't know how long Life Not Living will end up being, but please stick with me. Disclaimer: I don't own **_**My Heart Will Go On**_**...that's by Celine Dion. And I most definitely don't own the Labyrinth. **

"_Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you. That is how I know you go on..._" Sarah sang, more than slightly off pitch, hanging her arm out the window, the hood to her dad's old convertible, given to her as a birthday present a couple years ago. The goosebumps along the skin of her outstretched appendage let her know that it was cold enough that soon she would have to put up the top and windows, but she ignored the chill for another moment longer, mezmerized by the way the wind blew through her slender fingers, picking up the digits for a second before they dropped them, only to be picked up by another stream of air.

Finally, shivering, she regretfully pulled her arm back into the car, rolling the window up behind it. She reached forward and turned up the heat, thankful for the fleece insulation of her favourite white leather jacket, though the lining on her elbows were almost worn out and the edges were starting to fray from constamt use.

With a flick of Sarah's finger, the convertible top started to pull itself out of the back of the car. It momentarily blocked the veiw of the mirror attatched to the windshield, but Sarah wasn't worried, she had been driving to her parents summer place in North Carolina using mostly backroads and hadn't seen anyone for miles, the last vehicle being a lone motorcycle rider with windblown red locks. The soft top clicked softly when Sarah latched it to the car again, making sure it was securely locked to her windshield, knowing that the catch didn't always work properly because of the general age of the semi-outdated car.

Glancing again to triple check that the hood was properly connected, Sarah screamed when she turned her eyes back to the road, seeing a black wolf, the tips of his midnight fur golden in her headlights. With a jerk of her steering wheel, the car spun on the dirt road she was travelling along, tires screeching in protest to the jarring movement.

Entirely focused on trying to regain control of her steering wheel, it was too late when she saw the looming tree ahead. The left side of Sarah's car crashed into the pine, molding the door into a rough approximation of the tree trunk.

With a cry, the air from Sarh's lungs was driven from her, a sharp angle from the now deformed car door thrust into her ribs, causing something to crack. The airbag, deployed at impact, was suffocating Sarah, her breathing short and laboured as she let out an inarticulate cry. Her arm was crushed awkwardly to her chest, further restricting her breathing.

There was flash of white against the backs of Sarah's eyelids, prompting her to open them. Blinking sluggishly, her pale green eyes struggled to still her swimming vision. Blonde, wispy hair, streaks of delicate azure shot through the legnth, fluttered in a nonexistant breeze. A harsh ebony leather breastplate, smooth to the touch, embossed with the upside-down horns akin to the necklace he wore, dully reflected the filtered moonlight; fitted goose grey leggings tucked into snug mid-calf height riding boots, his heavy brocade cape, floating about his legs, completed the look.

How he managed to extract her from the crushed drivers side, Sarah would never know. Her last memory of that night was being held gently, as one might hold a porcelain doll, by him, cateful to keep her injured side away from his body.

He took a few steps, his stride long and graceful despite the awkward position of the woman in his arms, before his cape swirled around them, folding in on itself with the pair in its richly coloured depths. They disappeared with a sharp snap, the sound echoing unnaturally.

Illuminated by the faint glow of the wrecked car, the night wolf sat down, silver eyes glinting as he seemingly stared through the car, watching unblinkingly.

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Think that I could totally do with some improvement to my writing? Please leave a review, favourite, alert, or PM me! Whatever floats your boat, I'm good with! ;)**


	2. Chapter 2: If Only A Dream

**A/N: Thanks to everyone reviewed, and anyone else that is reading this or read this. I'm pretty excited about this story, so I'll be posting every couple of days... hopefully.**

**Standard disclaimer applies! **

_"...losing her! We're loosing-!"_

Startled, Sarah's body spasmed, waking forcefully, before she curled in on herself, one hand clutching her ribs, the other covering her eyes from the glaringly bright sunshine.

"Sorry, Sarah." What must have been drapes, were drawn across the window, easing the lighting to a warm glow.

"Dad?" Sarah mumbled, slowly uncurling from the fetal position, opening her eyes to find a lavishly decorated room.

"Guess again... precious," Jareth said, coming into view, taking a seat in a high-backed wooden chair beside the plush bed she rested in.

"But..." Sarah rasped, her voice catching and cracking before she could push out any more words.

"Here, drink this," the fae encouraged, leaning forward, slipping one hand under the woman's head, twining his fingers through the unruly mass, tilting her head so she  
>could drink.<p>

"Goblin King," Sarah protested around the rim of the goblet he pressed to her  
>lips.<p>

"Hush, I will explain things later," he promised, his thumb rubbing small circles on her neck subconsciously.

"What..." she took a deep breath, green eyes briefly slipping from Jareth's angular face. "What is this?" Sarah's respiration slowed as she fell asleep, the angry crease in her forehead smoothing.

Jareth removed his fingers from her chocolate tresses, pushing the hair back from her slightly damp forehead.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, arched eyebrows pulling together briefly, sorrowfully.

The next time she woke up, it was significantly darker. With a wide yawn, Sarah rolled on to her back, stretching languidly, one hand immediately burying itself in her hair, her shoulder poppping.

With a small sound of contentment, Sarah rested her cheek against the cool down feathers pillow, watching the Goblin King sleep.

... wait. Why was she watching the Goblin King sleep?

In a moment of terrifying clarity, Sarah ripped the silken sheets from her legs, launching herself off the bed. She made it a grand total of two steps before the momentum of forcefully removing herself from the bed stopped and gravity took over.

Before hitting the floor, two sinewy arms wrapped around her.

"You're not as light as you look,"Jareth huffed in her ear, settling her softly on the elegant carpet beneath their feet.

"I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming," Sarah whispered, hugging her arms to her body.

"Oh, I assure you not, precious," Jareth smirked blearily at her, rubbing one eye with the heel of his palm.

"Then I've gone insane!" she concluded, resting her forehead on her knees. "Truely, madly insane!"

"Truely," Jareth deadpanned, raising an eyebrow in a small gesture of amusement.

"Yes!" Sarah's head snapped up, green eyes flashing to his mismatched ones. "I was 14 and...hormonal!" she burst out, chest heaving from unnecissary adrenaline.

"Hormonal," he reittered, eyebrows raising higher still, though the mortal was dutifully ignoring him, swept up in a river of confusion and denial.

"How else would you explain... that?" Sarah waved her hand in Jareth's general direction.

"I like to think a mix of good genes and luck," Jareth responded conversationally, re-adjusting his wrinkled shirt.

Sarah began to cry, overwhelmed, "I'm really here," she sobbed, bringing her knees close to her chest.

"That can't be all too bad, can it?" he cooed startled by her sudden change of emotions, leaning over her hunched form, rubbing comforting figures over her back.

"Yes it can," she sniffed, voice muffled by her knees. "You hate me."

At this, he laughed. "Why would I hate you?"

"Because I destroyed you're castle and won my brother back..."

"Destroyed? There wasn't anything broken that couldn't be fixed with a bit of magic," he smiled bitterly to himself over his choice of words.

"Promise?" she asked, staring forlonly at the intricate pattern that covered the floor.

"Why would I lie?" Jareth stood up, dusting of the seat of his pants. He hoisted Sarah up after him.

"And I don't weigh that much..." Sarah growled mutinously, mostly as an afterthought, tugging down the hem of her t-shirt.

"Of course not, precious," Jareth agreed.

**A/N: Does Sarah or Jareth seem a little OOC? Let me know, please. **

**The stuff in italics is part of her dream, in case you were wondering. You will be seeing a bit more into her dreams, later on. But I can't say much more than that without revealing everything in the story! Anyways, as always, review pretty please!**


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